Who we are
MEET THE EAI TEAM
EAI employs a number of full and part-time technicians to assist senior staff with a variety of field and laboratory activities. Additionally, EAI has established a broad and diverse network of associate scientists whose expertise can be drawn upon as project demands dictate. EAI also has excellent working relationships with a number of state-certified laboratories that can perform a broad spectrum of chemical analyses on ground water, surface water, and sediment samples.
Niki Desjardin
Director of Operations
M.S. Biology, Florida Atlantic University
B.S. Biology, University of Richmond
Niki has over 20 years of experience managing protected species monitoring programs and coordinating/conducting field work in Florida. Her expertise is in sea turtle nesting beach management, shorebird/seabird conservation, and habitat conservation planning. Niki is the FWC Marine Turtle Permit Holder for EAI. She also serves as EAI’s Director of Operations, guiding strategic planning, supporting business development, and overseeing senior staff. Niki works closely with clients, regulatory agencies, and the public to ensure EAI’s work products meet the highest quality standards. Niki coaches personnel at all levels on technical, managerial, and leadership topics.
Jimmy Sellers
Director of Business Development & Finance
M.B.A. Environmental Management, Florida Atlantic University
B.S. Psychology, University of Florida
Jimmy has 20 years of experience working in Florida with jobs in scientific research, water resource regulation, and consulting. His roles have involved project management, business operations, and business development in the planning, environmental, and engineering fields. Jimmy has wide-ranging experience in planning, state and federal permitting, bidding, construction oversight, permit compliance, and monitoring of coastal restoration and construction projects in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. His field capabilities include wetland delineation, submerged aquatic vegetation surveying, and marine construction oversight for beach and dune restoration, boat ramp, dock and fishing pier construction, navigation improvements, shoreline stabilization, hardbottom mitigation, and wetland fill/restoration/mitigation projects. Jimmy serves as our Director of Business Development and Finance, leading our firm in pursuit of new work, coordinating with clients on business logistics, guiding strategic planning, and tending to our financial health.
Mark Mohlmann
Senior Project Manager
B.S. Biology, George Mason University
Mark has over 23 years’ experience designing, implementing, and managing large scale projects in the aquatic sciences. Responsible for programs including CWA 316(a) and 316(b) thermal discharge studies, turbidity compliance monitoring, taxonomic analysis, seagrass monitoring, biological characterization studies, benthic resource studies, artificial reef monitoring, Stream Condition Index monitoring, and assorted marine-oriented and aquatic taxonomy projects within EAI. He is the primary database management developer for the company with over 20 active project databases. Mark is an FAA Part 107 certified remote pilot for drone operations and manages drone and ROV projects for EAI. Mark is a member of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH) and American Fisheries Society (AFS) and has been an active participant in the Florida Interagency Calibration Exercise to standardize seagrass scoring and data collection across agencies and universities in Florida for the last eleven years.
Carrie Scarola
Project Manager
B.A. Environmental Studies, Florida Atlantic University – Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Carrie has 15 years of professional experience in protected species surveys and observation, permit-compliance turbidity and water quality monitoring, environmental assessments, benthic macroinvertebrate community ecology, submerged aquatic vegetation monitoring, and sediment analysis. She oversees water quality monitoring project design and implementation, creates and maintains project-specific databases, and is the primary polychaete taxonomist. Carrie supports department-level financial tracking, strategic planning, administration, and serves as the Quality Assurance/Quality Control Officer for the company. Carrie is an Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent, Stormwater Management Inspector, and a licensed Commercial Pesticide Applicator.
Christina Macon
Environmental Resource Program Administrator
B.S. Biology, Florida Atlantic University
Christina has 15 years of professional training and experience in land management principles, wildlife surveys, native flora identification, natural resource impacts, mitigation calculations, environmental resource permitting, mangrove permitting, and compliance inspections for environmental regulations. She also has specialized experience in proprietary authorizations, lease inspections, conservation land protections, and water quality sampling protocols for multiple State agencies. Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent and Stormwater Management Inspector.
Grace Botson
Project Manager
M.S. Biology, Florida Atlantic University
B.A. Marine Biology, Boston University
Grace has over 15 years of professional experience in coastal protected species monitoring in Florida, including conducting and managing nesting surveys, data collection and analysis, and reporting for sea turtle and shorebird monitoring programs on both nourished and non-nourished beaches. She also has experience preparing biological assessments and habitat conservation plans for public and private sector clients. She coordinates with state and federal agencies, engineering firms, and local stakeholders, supports business development, oversees staff, and serves as the Health and Safety Officer for the company.
Aquatic Sciences
Matt Scripter – Senior Scientist
Lead Taxonomist and Statistical Analysis
Ph.D. Marine Biology, Florida Institute of Technology
M.S. Marine Biology, Florida Institute of Technology
B.S. Marine Biology, Florida Institute of Technology
Christina Termini – Chemist
On-Site Chemist – SFWMD
B.S. Interdisciplinary Sciences, Minor Chemistry, Florida Institute of Technology
Max Toebe – Field Biologist
Drone Pilot, Water Quality Monitor, Sea Turtle and Shorebird Monitor
Kimberly Rigano – Biologist
M.S. Zoology, Washington State University
B.S. Conservation Biology and Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology
Coastal Protected Species
Lauren Maline – Biologist
Sea Turtle Nesting Specialist
B. A. Marine Biology, St. Francis University
Joseph Pessolano – Biologist
Sea Turtle Nesting Specialist
B. S. Coastal Biology, University of North Florida
Chelsey Petersen – Biologist
Sea Turtle Nesting Specialist
B. S. Biology, Eastern Michigan University
Liz Ranalli – Biologist
Sea Turtle Nesting Specialist
B. S. Biology, Sonoma State University
Abbey Chaney – Biologist
Sea Turtle Nesting Specialist – Volusia County
M.S. Marine Biology, Florida Atlantic University
B.S. Marine Science, Coastal Carolina University
Joseph Scarola – Senior Scientist
Sea Turtle Nesting Supervisor and Lighting Specialist
B.S. Biology, University of California Los Angeles
Erica Collins – Biologist
Laboratory Coordinator and Taxonomist, Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent, Stormwater Management Inspector
B.S. Marine Biology, Nova Southeastern University
Environmental Resource Management
Laurie Allnatt – Project Manager
GIS and Mapping Specialist, Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent, Stormwater Management Inspector
B.A. Geography, Florida Atlantic University
Rachel King – Senior Scientist
ERP and ROW Permitting, Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent, Stormwater Management Inspector, FWC Burrowing Owl Registered Agent
M.S. Ecology – University of Georgia
B.S. Biology – University of Central Florida
Meike de Vringer – Senior Scientist
GIS Specialist, ERP Permitting, Stormwater Management Inspector
M.S. Earth Sciences, University of Amsterdam
B.S. Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Keith Dawson – Biologist
GIS Specialist, Drone Pilot, Stormwater Management Inspector
B.S. Geography, Florida Atlantic University
Emily Hartdegen – Biologist
Drone Pilot, Stormwater Management Inspector
B.S. Natural Resource and Ecology Management, Louisiana State University
Michelle Luce – Biologist
Stormwater Management Inspector
M.S. Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology
B.S. Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology
Andrea Pereyra – Biologist
Protected Species Specialist, Stormwater Management Inspector
M.S. Environmental Science, Florida Gulf Coast University
B.S. Biology, La Molina National Agrarian University
Catherine Trimble – Biologist
Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent, Stormwater Management Inspector
B.S. Biology, Florida State University
Danielle Zugelter – Biologist
Stormwater Management Inspector
M.S. Biological Oceanography, Florida Institute of Technology
B.S. Marine Biology, Waynesburg University
Codi Meeker – Biologist
Stormwater Management Inspector
B.S. Environmental Science, University of Central Florida
Joseph Penta – Field Technician
Stormwater Management Inspector
M.S. Marine Biology, Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center
B.S. Biology, Long Island University
Danielle Koehler – Field Technician
Stormwater Management Inspector
B.S. Environmental Science – Conservation Ecology, California University of Pennsylvania
Neha Munagala – Field Technician
B.S. Biology, University of Central Florida
Tori Caba – Biologist
Certified Wetland Evaluator, Stormwater Management Inspector
M.S. Environmental Policy and Management, American Public University
B.S. Sustainability and Marine Science, Jacksonville University